


The Retirement

by SeverePlankton



Category: James Bond (Craig movies), James Bond (Movies), James Bond - All Media Types
Genre: Gen, Out of Character, Post-Canon, Workplace
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-06
Updated: 2020-03-06
Packaged: 2021-03-01 03:53:47
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,043
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23038912
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SeverePlankton/pseuds/SeverePlankton
Summary: Villiers retires after several years of being M's assistant.
Kudos: 9





	The Retirement

**Author's Note:**

> I watch Bond movies because of the minor characters: they're all adorable and if I had a choice, I would watch the whole movie about them, not Bond! I'm also a big fan of assistant, who are always near the big boss, ready to give info/papers/gun/everything the boss needs. I really liked the connection of M and Villiers in "Casino Royale" as much as I was sad, when Villiers disappeared from the "Quantum of Solace", and nobody said a word about him. So I decided to give him a happy ending! He really deserves it!
> 
> Note: The Wiki says that Villiers "is somewhat of a joint Miss Moneypenny/Bill Tanner replacement in the film", but I see him more like Moneypenny/Q replacement. Consider it my headcanon.
> 
> Russian version - https://ficbook.net/readfic/8839303

Symbols are running on the screen. At some point Villiers closes his eyes, tired after a restless night, and rubs them with the back of his hand. Then he takes a sip of coffee from another cup (perhaps, the latest cup in another dozen of them, all moved to the edge of the table, so they couldn’t hinder) and gets back to work.

All because he isn’t the only one who stays awake this night. M is awake, too. If you listen closely, you can hear her steps. In a few years of working Villiers got used to her measuring the room with her steps while thinking. Sometimes during the short breaks he tries to count how many miles she has been marching for all the years of her work here. Of course, the answer is never found.

M doesn’t sleep neither does Villiers; and that means neither does the department. Villiers can’t recall when was the last time he slept like a normal human being, in bed. It has always happened fragmentarily, like ten-fifteen seconds, or several hours, if he was lucky. Da Vinci, Caesar, Dali, Napoleon – Villiers outshined them all. He doesn’t sleep alone very often. He’s in charge of accompanying M, coordinating Double-O, the development center… he must keep up with all at once.

Villiers doesn’t ask for vacation, even for a day off. He doesn’t have any family except for MI6, his profession and his life. Sometimes Villiers jokes that, if he was killed, he would be buried there, under that very chair where he sat. But maybe it’s not that bad. Villiers likes his job, and Villiers is faithful to the country, to the organization, to M, faithful as a dog.

The sound of selector distracts Villiers from typing a new document. M’s voice, a little bit husky after long silence, says:

“Villiers, please, come to my office.”

Villiers pulls himself away from the chair, stretches to such extent that the spine cracks and his fingers almost touch the ceiling and goes to M. She sits in front of the computer and reads the reports.

“Take a sit.”

Villiers sits down and waits. “Certainly, Bond must have done something stupid again,” he thinks. “And, of course, we have to fix it”.

But M doesn’t speak about Bond. She speaks about him, Villiers. About his retirement. She speaks with the same calm uncompromising voice. Villiers grows pale with her every word, but at the same time he understands everything. He has been working with M for several years, as many as no one has been before, and now M is worried about his health condition. Yes, Villiers has never made any mistakes before, even the tiniest ones, but the organization doesn’t need him to make them at all. And the substitute has already been found.

Villiers doesn’t argue with her. He is not Bond, who acts with viperous tranquility, implicating his domination in everything; he cannot cross the line, which must not be crossed. Villiers is faithful to the country, to the organization, to M.

“But what should I do out there?” He only asks.

“There is life “out there” too.” M answers smiling. “But if you have nothing to do, you can always follow the path taken by William Maugham or John le Carré.”

“And write plays or boring spy-fiction? No, thank you, I guess I’ll find something else to keep myself busy.” Villiers smiles for the first time in this conversation. Then he asks.

“When?”

“In a week. As soon as we finish with Bond.” M looks more relaxed than in the beginning of the conversation. Seems like she wasn’t sure if Villers swallows this bitter pill so easy. Maybe, she thought he wouldn’t want to be retired. But Villiers is calm and M sees that there’s nothing behind it.

“Aye, ma’am. May I have your permission to carry on?”

M dismisses him.

The following week, Villiers works hard as always. He accompanies M, coordinates Double-O agent and the development center. Except perhaps for the second-to-last day, when he buys two envelopes for Moneypenny and for Q. With the first one he shares bits and bolts, dribs and drabs, for example, where to find pens, or the password to false compartment, or where the weapon can be found, and a kind request to watch out for Bond. And the last, but not least, to care about M. He tells Q in his letter about the people in the department: how to find the way to every person in this facility. He also requests Q not to fall under the influence of 007, because Bond is one hell of a creep and blackmailer, who likes losing and breaking stuff.

The envelope for Moneypenny is left on the table, the owner of the code name will appear on the next day. The envelope for Q Villiers delivers personally, while showing him the department and introducing this sombrous young man to everyone. Q is surprised.

“I hasn’t received any letters for a really long time.” He takes a look at the envelope and sees the signature of Villiers. “And you’re the sender?”

“Perhaps, you’ll never get any more.” Villiers smiles. “You can burn it when you read it to the end.”

“No, I think I’ll keep it.” Q puts the letter in his day bag and offers his hand to Villiers. “Thank you, sir.” Villiers shakes it and hopes that he leaves the department in the right hands.

Saying goodbye to M turns out to be soulful. As a part of “farewell” she pours him some whiskey and they discuss everything that has happened to them since they started working together, sipping the drink lazily. To Villiers’s surprise, M brings up some funny moments from the beginning of their work. She shakes his hand before leaving and Villiers does his best to imprint this moment in his memory.

“Thank you.” She says. “You were one of my best assistants.”

“Thank you,” Villiers smiles. “You were my best boss ever; the only, though.” M chuckles, Villiers tries to fight back the tears, leaving the place he loved so much.

After returning to his flatlet, Villiers catches up on sleep at first. And then he starts to look for a new job.


End file.
